It's an engaging thriller with a perfect pace and timing. The tense moments are enhanced by the combined performances of Jamie Foxx and Tom Cruise. Foxx's realism and Cruise's coldness and calculation sport an unlikely yet interesting duo, whose moral clashes never distract the audience from the impending violence to occur in downtown Los Angeles

Overall, Collateral is a pretty good film. The visuals are outstanding and really make this film a gorgeous watch. Tom Cruise is also killer (heh) in his role as a hitman. He gets a bad rap due to his personal beliefs, but the man can really act. Jamie Foxx also does well as the cab driver and Mark Ruffalo makes a solid supporting appearance in this one as well. The thrills are alsoOverall, Collateral is a pretty good film. The visuals are outstanding and really make this film a gorgeous watch. Tom Cruise is also killer (heh) in his role as a hitman. He gets a bad rap due to his personal beliefs, but the man can really act. Jamie Foxx also does well as the cab driver and Mark Ruffalo makes a solid supporting appearance in this one as well. The thrills are also certainly there and, though implausible at times, they are most plentiful at the end of the film, though, really, you could be on the edge of your seat for much of this one. Overall, however, I cannot help but feel like this one was nothing but pretty good. Michael Mann's direction is great as always here, but this one never really "reaches for the stars", rather it is content to just be a relatively straightforward and entertaining movie. Now, there is nothing wrong with that, but it certainly would have been nice to see that extra little bit given. Without it, it honestly feels like something is missing from this one.…Expand

This movie is my all-time favourite. It offers awesome acting from Jamie Foxx and especially from Tom Cruise, in one of the finest performances I've ever seen. It also boasts great dialogue. Combine this with absolutely thrilling scenes and tense moments, and you get a breathtaking, heart-stopping thrill ride from director Michael Mann. A masterpiece.

Collateral was a good, action-packed thriller with enough taxi shots to last me a lifetime. Tom Cruise is at his best, and so is Jamie Foxx. Both actors contribute well-rounded,tough characters into a good cast, also including Javier Bodem and Mark Ruffalo. This movie had a pace that was just right, as well as a story that was gripping and fun to watch. It also gave you a feel of time,Collateral was a good, action-packed thriller with enough taxi shots to last me a lifetime. Tom Cruise is at his best, and so is Jamie Foxx. Both actors contribute well-rounded,tough characters into a good cast, also including Javier Bodem and Mark Ruffalo. This movie had a pace that was just right, as well as a story that was gripping and fun to watch. It also gave you a feel of time, because of the 5 jobs Tom Cruise had to pull. You knew were you were in the movie based on how many were left, granted you can do math. In summation, this was a good tale of two very different people having to put up with each other, even when guns are drawn. Jada Pinkett Smith tied the movie together, and also played the role well. The only negative thing i have to say is that it got a tiny bit slow at points, and the dialogue as well as camera shots could've been cleaned up a bit. But other than that, this is a flick worth watching.…Expand

“Collateral” isn't a terribly original motion picture. However, it’s the strength of the lead performances and the stylish direction of Michael Mann that obscures the weaknesses in plotting and credibility. For the most part “Collateral” remains a sharply taut thriller but ever so gradually towards the end it tests our plausibility nerves. The movie never fails, but it never really“Collateral” isn't a terribly original motion picture. However, it’s the strength of the lead performances and the stylish direction of Michael Mann that obscures the weaknesses in plotting and credibility. For the most part “Collateral” remains a sharply taut thriller but ever so gradually towards the end it tests our plausibility nerves. The movie never fails, but it never really deepens either. The story line never deviates from going somewhere unexpected, but at least it’s always satisfying.

Los Angeles cab driver Max Durocher (Foxx) lives an incredibly mundane life. He drives a cab day in and day out and has for the last twelve years. His only escape from reality is a photo of a tropical island and the fact that he wants to start his own limo company. All that changes when a government investigative attorney named Annie Ferrell (Jada P. Smith) gets in his cab from the airport. She's wound tight, getting ready for a big case the next morning, but he charms her into talking and makes a favorable impression. Immediately after dropping Annie off downtown, he picks up a fare that is known only by his first name Vincent (Cruise). Vincent offers Max a deal he can't refuse $700 for making five stops, then getting him to the airport for his flight out of LA. As the L.A.P.D. and F.B.I. begin to put the pieces together, they race to intercept the two of them. Max and Vincent's survival becomes dependent on each other, in ways neither would have imagined.

The survival-of-the-fittest, do-or-die theme eventually becomes rather one note. The amusing, exceptional first half of the film is undermined when the story races towards a prevailing, mechanical conclusion. Acting and atmosphere define the film, but there are times when style can become substance, and this is one of these instances. The performances by Cruise and Foxx are the highlights, and Mann's direction guarantees that any chance of boredom or disinterest will not materialize.…Expand

Michael Mann's "Collateral" initially piqued my interest because of it's fairly intriguing premise; a cab driver happens to pick up a hitman for a passenger. However, as I watched the film, I realized that there was a lot more to this film than the well written story. The movie features a breadth of captivating performances. Namely, Cruise's badass "Vincent" character and Jamie Foxx'sMichael Mann's "Collateral" initially piqued my interest because of it's fairly intriguing premise; a cab driver happens to pick up a hitman for a passenger. However, as I watched the film, I realized that there was a lot more to this film than the well written story. The movie features a breadth of captivating performances. Namely, Cruise's badass "Vincent" character and Jamie Foxx's Academy Award-Nominated performance as "Max". Tom Cruise's character is freaking hilarious - this movie features a virtual showcase of Tom Cruise Psychopathic Badassery. Between him and Foxx their chemistry makes for pretty great entertainment and some awesome dialogue too. In terms of technical aspects the film does well at utilizing an arsenal of stylish, yet still subtle camera techniques. Also the film uses a very significant amount of dark lighting to enhance the overall visual quality of the film and the gritty West L.A. setting. The ending sequence of this movie is probably one of the most absorbing scenes I've ever seen - really stressful stuff. Overall, "Collateral" makes for an invigorating experience with a smart story, superb acting, and a poopload of thrills.…Expand

Director Michael Mann is a smart and experienced one, and he knows how to make his thriller without insulting our intelligence, but while still dazzling us with a wicked labyrinth of a plot. Collateral is also punctuated by some determined and surprisingly deep performances.

Collateral is one of those films that tries to be brilliant (and comes pretty close too) but ends up shooting itself in the foot. The film tells the story of Max (Jamie Foxx) an LA cab driver who unfortunately picks up Vincent (Tom Cruise) and agrees to take him around LA all night. Vincent has 5 stops but Max soon discovers that at every stop Vincent is killing people. This starts a catCollateral is one of those films that tries to be brilliant (and comes pretty close too) but ends up shooting itself in the foot. The film tells the story of Max (Jamie Foxx) an LA cab driver who unfortunately picks up Vincent (Tom Cruise) and agrees to take him around LA all night. Vincent has 5 stops but Max soon discovers that at every stop Vincent is killing people. This starts a cat and mouse series of events all in the space of one cab as Max continues to drive Vincent around. The concept is a good one and its handled by director Michael Mann with his signature over the top action but its also very subdued and allows the actors to add certain elements to their characters that a popcorn action film would not. In fact Tom Cruise has one of his best performances as Vincent, a very intelligent and sadistic portrayal of someone we really should hate but through his actions we end up not being able to look away. The reason that Collateral narrowly misses brilliance is that Mann seems to lose focus at the end of the film with everything that made Collateral great (the confined space, the tense conversation and the occasional dead body) disappearing in favour of a, simply put, stupid ending which employs the cliched Hollywood ending with a big chase but it does it with so little care for specifics (unlike the rest of the film) that it just seemed incredibly rushed and as if no effort was put in at all. Collateral has all the hallmarks of a brilliant film but thanks to the ending it feels like a summer popcorn flick with no heart. My advice, turn it off at the car crash (you'll know which one) and imagine an ending that doesn't make you want to shout at the screen.…Expand

Collateral is a very enjoyable film for the most part, a clever variation on psycho-horror and hostage-thriller films. It is easily one of Tom Cruise's strongest performances (and quite creepily, when he intentionally plays "mad", he comes across as rather reserved, especially compared to his perceived off-screen persona). The dialogue throughout crackles - the script is of an extremelyCollateral is a very enjoyable film for the most part, a clever variation on psycho-horror and hostage-thriller films. It is easily one of Tom Cruise's strongest performances (and quite creepily, when he intentionally plays "mad", he comes across as rather reserved, especially compared to his perceived off-screen persona). The dialogue throughout crackles - the script is of an extremely high quality, and both leads handle the material with extreme skill. My only problem with the script is an over-reliance on cliched psychoanalytic conversation (debating the morals of killing indiscriminately for instance), Vincent's veiled threats and Max's attempts to keep level-headed were engaging enough without them trying to "understand" each other - Vincent's dangerous, we get it! The film works as a solid and effective thriller right up until the final act. Here it resorts to a succession of increasingly silly set pieces further undermined by lack of attention to detail (what does and doesn't go off in a power cut for instance). Perhaps Mann would have been better off wrapping things up thirty minutes earlier, ending on a high with the truly exhilarating nightclub set piece. Despite its flaws, in the end Collateral is a pleasant diversion - it's perhaps not as clever as it thinks it's being, but as entertainment it dazzles.…Expand

A great movie to enjoy alone. It may appear superficial, but it truly tries to deliver a message. For everyone who enjoys good movies, this is a must see. Definitely one of Tom Cruise's best performances.

Mann vividly captures the nocturnal pulse of East L.A. in this taut, confined game of cat and mouse. In the homestretch the thrills get too generic and farfetched for their own good. But the first two thirds are a knockout.